Mr. Eychaner, president and CEO of Newsweb Corp., became emotional as he looked back on the 40 years of progress for equality made by the LGBT community.

The Chicago businessman tipped his hat to his parents, Howard and Milly Eychaner, for being proud of their “gay and non-gay children.” It was a notable acknowledgment, as Mr. Eychaner seldom talks publicly about his personal life or politics, even though he has donated tens of millions of dollars to Democratic and gay-rights causes over the years.

'ALWAYS REMEMBER. NEVER FORGET.'

He gave a quick history lesson on gay rights.

“We need to remember everybody else who participated in this struggle, starting with drag queens at Stonewall who fought back against police oppression to the extraordinary young activists of Act-Up who were relentless in pushing the HIV issue,” he said. “Always remember. Never forget,” Mr. Eychaner said, in what would be a chant throughout his speech.

He criticized former President Ronald Reagan for not addressing AIDS quickly enough in the 1980s. “It was six years before he spoke the words of the disease,” Mr. Eychaner said. “By then, 38,000 of us had been diagnosed and 20,000 of us were dead.”

If those who died as a result of AIDS had been “American Legionnaires or New York Yankees or evangelicals in their churches, there would have been swift public outcry and intentional public health and scientific response. Instead Reagan and his Republican allies chose to demonize all of us as freaks and perverts, as outsiders and un-American. The hatred and damage of those years continues today.”

The media executive ended on a positive note, though, talking about the work to be done and drew rousing applause.

"Victories today are real. They're sweet. But let's always remember and never forget that our progress has been won across many lives, much time and money spent and many tears," he said. "We have won so much, but there is much to do."